Core Insights - Square is expanding its partner ecosystem in 2026, enhancing its position as a preferred provider for sellers and partners, with 71% of enterprise sellers using at least one partner solution [1][9] - The company aims to empower local businesses by providing an interconnected ecosystem that allows sellers to choose payment methods and operational tools while enabling partners to innovate and scale [2] Partner Ecosystem - Square's partner ecosystem includes nearly 1,000 partners, with over two-thirds having built integrations, supporting various industries such as food & beverage, retail, health and beauty, and professional services [3] - Sellers can connect with platforms like Wix, WooCommerce, and electronic medical record providers, allowing for custom solutions through Square's open developer platform [3] Customer Discovery - Square facilitates seller discovery across multiple platforms, including Google, Facebook, Instagram, and various marketplaces, enabling sellers to sync listings and activate channels for direct ordering [4] - Partnerships with marketing agencies enhance local growth and global scaling through targeted marketing strategies [4] Operational Efficiency - Square streamlines day-to-day operations by integrating with tools like QuickBooks and Xero, allowing for efficient management of accounting, inventory, and fulfillment [5] - The platform supports automation and distribution through various partners, saving sellers valuable time [5] Data-Driven Insights - Square provides real-time transaction data and analytics to help sellers make informed decisions, revealing sales trends and cost dynamics [6][7] - Integrations with platforms like OpenTable and HotSchedules enhance operational efficiency by providing insights into customer behavior and demand [6][7] Expert Support - Square collaborates with industry associations and vetted partners to offer expert guidance and exclusive benefits, optimizing backend connections for sellers [8] - Exclusive partner offers, such as discounts on bookkeeping services, are available to Square sellers [9]

Core Insights - Rhythmic aims to bring stablecoins to a broader market by partnering with consumer-facing companies to offer financial products like cash back and rewards programs [1][2] Funding and Valuation - Rhythmic raised a $4 million seed round led by Dragonfly, with additional support from Mirana Ventures and The Fintech Fund; the company's valuation was not disclosed [2] Product Offering - The startup plans to create a financial product that includes balances, payments, and rewards for customers of partnered brands, similar to existing loyalty programs [2][3] - Users will be able to deposit money into a stored value account within the brand's ecosystem and receive a co-branded Visa card to earn rewards [3] Strategic Vision - Rhythmic's strategy focuses on embedding stablecoin financial services into well-known brands, allowing them to deepen their relationship with users and become central to their financial lives [4] - The company envisions a wide range of firms adopting its model, inspired by successful programs like Starbucks' loyalty program [2][4] Founders' Background - The co-founders have extensive experience in crypto and payments, with backgrounds at American Express, Circle, Mastercard, and Walmart, which they believe positions them well to create a user-friendly stablecoin experience [5] Company Growth and Plans - Rhythmic plans to launch its services midyear and currently has no revenue; it will expand from three to six employees and invest in compliance with the new funding [6]

Core Insights - PayPal's stock has significantly underperformed, declining over 45% from its 52-week high and about 29% year-to-date [1] - Despite revenue growth and improved transaction margin dollars and EPS in 2025, the outlook for 2026 is challenging [1] Financial Performance - The company has experienced a slowdown in branded checkout, with online branded checkout TPV rising only 1% on a constant-currency basis in the most recent fourth quarter, down from 5% growth in Q3 [4] - The overall total payment volume (TPV) growth has been mid-single-digit over the past several years, but this growth is now eroding [3] Market Challenges - The U.S. retail environment is a significant drag, with PayPal's merchant base heavily reliant on discretionary spending, which has weakened among lower- and middle-income consumers [5] - Internationally, PayPal faces challenges in key markets like Germany, where growth has moderated due to macroeconomic softness and increased competition from alternative payment methods [6] Sector-Specific Issues - High-growth verticals such as travel, ticketing, crypto, and gaming, which had previously contributed robustly, are now experiencing a slowdown, dampening aggregate TPV expansion [7] - Ongoing investments to support growth and heightened competition are likely to weigh on profitability in the short term [2]

Advent to Sell Prisma and Newpay to VisaFeb 19, 2026 9:13 AM Eastern Standard Time# Advent to Sell Prisma and Newpay to VisaShare---SÃO PAULO & BUENOS AIRES, Argentina--([BUSINESS WIRE])-- Advent International, a leading global private equity investor, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Prisma and Newpay, subsidiaries of Group Prisma, a leading Argentine payments company, to Visa (NYSE: V).During Advent's ownership, the group underwent a strategic transformation, resulti ...

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Visa (NYSE: V) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Prisma Medios de Pago S.A.U. ("Prisma†) and Newpay S.A.U. ("Newpay†) in Argentina from Advent International. This strategic acquisition underscores Visa's commitment to providing clients with the advanced capabilities and technologies that accelerate the adoption of innovative payment solutions for consumers and businesses across the country. Prisma provides credit. ...

Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM) will release earnings results for its fourth quarter, after the closing bell on Thursday, Feb. 19.Analysts expect the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company to report quarterly earnings at $1.75 per share, up from $1.66 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Akamai's quarterly revenue is $1.08 billion, versus $1.02 billion a year earlier, according to data from Benzinga Pro.On Dec. 17, Akamai partnered with Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) to enhance identity ...

We recently published 10 Market Winners With Stunning Gains. Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) was one of the best performers on Wednesday. Global Payments rallied for a second day on Wednesday, jumping 16.46 percent to close at $81.25 apiece following news that it would kick off two initiatives aimed at boosting company and shareholder value through dividends and billion-dollars worth of share repurchase program. In an updated report, Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) said that its board of directors has a ...

This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Visa plans to purchase Prisma Medios de Pago and Newpay from the private equity firm Advent International in an acquisition agreement that returns the Argentine assets to the card network’s fold. The companies didn’t disclose the financial terms, but said in press releases Thursday that the deal would close by the end of March. Visa, which previously ...

Remitly Global (NasdaqGS:RELY) Q4 2025 Earnings call February 18, 2026 05:00 PM ET Company ParticipantsDavid Beckel - VP of Investor RelationsMatt Oppenheimer - Co-founder and CEOSebastian Gunningham - CEOVikas Mehta - CFOConference Call ParticipantsAditya Buddhavarapu - VP and Equity Research AnalystAlex Markgraff - VP and Equity Research AnalystDarrin Peller - Managing Director and Senior Equity Research AnalystRamsey El-Assal - Managing Director and Senior Equity Research AnalystTien-Tsin Huang - Managin ...

Remitly Global (NasdaqGS:RELY) Q4 2025 Earnings call February 18, 2026 05:00 PM ET Speaker5Good day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Remitly fourth quarter and full year 2025 earnings conference call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. After the speaker's presentation, there will be a question and answer session. To ask a question during the session, you will need to press star one one on your telephone. You will then hear an automated message advising your hand is raise ...